Teary realisation in NRL farewell that moved Slater

The realisation that his NRL career was just weeks away from ending produced a teary response from Canberra skipper Elliott Whitehead.
The Englishman announced in July that after nine years in the nation’s capital, he would be parting ways with the club to return to the Super League.
But following the Raiders’ shock upset over defending premiers the Penrith Panthers in front of a home crowd, his retirement from the competition filled his mind.
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“I’m getting emotional, it means a lot to me this club,” he told Fox League post-match.
Elliott Whitehead was in tears after the Raiders win.  Fox League
Ricky Stuart paid an emotional tribute to his side’s outgoing skipper, with Whitehead surpassing his coach for games played in the green jersey with 204.
The small glimpse into the impact his time with the Raiders has made reminded Billy Slater of the bonds that are formed within the dressing room over a long career.
“He was very emotional after the game,” Slater said on Nine’s The Billy Slater Podcast.
“As athletes go through their career they are so focused on their job at hand… and very rarely do professional athletes look at the bigger picture.
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“They are so focused on improving and being professional, being the best that they can possibly be.
“In those situations (post-match), they have this moment where they sit back and look at that big picture, it is all relevant. They finally see it as a whole for the first time.
“They see what they achieved, they see all their mates and the friendships that they’ve created, the relationships, the feeling – that feeling is going to leave them and they are not going to feel that anymore.
“It’s a great moment when we see people becoming emotional and we see it all the time when athletes retire.”
Elliot Whitehead (left) celebrates Matthew Timoko’s try.  Getty
Whitehead debuted for the Raiders in 2016 after stints at Bradford Bulls and Catalans Dragons, where he will return at the end of the season.
He is one of Canberra’s most consistent performers, competing in preliminary finals in 2016 and 2020, a grand final in 2019, and recording 27 caps for England.
The Raiders will face the Roosters and the Dragons as they fight to make the eight.